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dontjudgemeimawriter · 3 years

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20 Questions

Tagged by @sleepy-night-child

1. why did you choose your URL?

It’s off of the joke that you should never judge a writer’s browsing history, but to be fair it’s also you can’t judge a writer for anything because hey it’s for a story!

2. any side blogs? if you have them, name them and why you have them.

Yep! This is a side blog. My main is @magicmoon65.

Two blogs that I co-manage are @yourbookcouldbegayer which is a LGBTQ writing advice blog and @dateasapphicwho which has nothing to do with writing and is a wlw suggestion blog.

My other interests have some sideblogs, though considerably less active, including @how-to-be-okay which is a self-care blog, @thewaywethinkiscool which is a psychology nerd studyblr, @hdc2tog which is a craft/crochet blog, and finally, @rainbowpointyhat which is a witchcraft blog.

3. how long have you been on Tumblr?

Ummm maybe 7 years?

4. do you have a queue tag?

Nope and I don’t know what those are for, even as a tumblr veteran. I queue things sometimes but don’t tag it.

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

this blog I started because... tbh I think I wanted a place to share writing posts, then I wanted to share my writing, then I lost confidence in that, then I get more into writeblr.

6. why did you choose your icon/pfp?

The one rn I chose way bac when I started this and it’s just a writer meme type thing (If you can’t see it it says Writer’s Block: When your imaginary friends refuse to talk to you). But I’ve been considering changing it, maybe to that planet picrew I did.

7. why did you choose your header?

*Checks my header* ummm writing aesthetic pic I hadn’t used? haha should prob change that too. But I also don’t want to change the whole blog design now that people actually look at it.

8. what's your post with the most notes?

original post? A Last Line tag of Terran falling asleep. Kinda a nice one so I can see why.

9. how many mutuals?

Please tell me how to find out your mutuals? Especially considering this is a sideblog and a lot of people follow form their main? Yeah I have no idea.

10. how many followers?

126

11. how many following?

Okay well keep in mind this is non writeblr-specific and I’ve been on here for 7 years......2,960

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

Almost definitely. Would not have any way to find it again, and probably not on this blog anyway. I can guarantee no one saw it.

13. how often do you use tumblr each day?

Wayyyy too much. Tumblr is my default.

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? who won?

Oh absolutely. Let me tell about one of them though:

This was through the dateasapphicwho sideblog. There was this racist blog that kept reblogging our posts, and because we were a sideblog it was really hard to block them. The blog wasn’t openly racist it was just like “white positivity” and that shit. So I tried to message the blog and be like “hey these posts aren’t for you, we don’t appreciate your message how about you take them down” and she replied that once we made the posts others were free to reblog and add their own commentary to them. So while I was waiting for a good chance to deal with her I went “okay fine then, let me use your claim against you” and reblogged a bunch of her “positivity” posts with pics of WOC -- ex. there was a post saying how cute girls with freckles are and I reblogged and went “hell yeah they are” with a bunch of pics of WOC with freckles. I did get to block her and but before that she did back off sooooo I think I won?

15. how do you feel about "you need to reblog this" posts?

I don’t like them. It makes me about 20% less likely to reblog the post. With a few exceptions, and I still will, butttt I don’t like.

16. do you like tag games?

Yes!!!! Please tag me in things I love them

17. do you like ask games?

Yep! I’ve reblogged a few ask games but I don’t get as much out of them, I’d love if I got asks more. It’s okay though.

18. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

I have no idea how to answer this question. I’m of the opinion that tumblr is not a place to get famous and if you’re “tumblr-famous” I‘m suspicious.

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

Nope

20. tags?

Ummmmm I don’t really know who to tag here but if you’re up for it feel free to say I tagged you!

#20 questions #tag game #about me

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dear-yandere · 3 years

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—ask collection!

a collection of mostly very old chats and sweet asks that i never got around to answering! thanks for the patience and love!!

beware, fairly long post... woops....

chat asks.

darling: Eu-jin is best boy. Change my mind.

vanya: i am physically incapable of fulfilling that request, how dare you do that to me... i’m biased since he’s my own oc, but i would die for my (very best) boy eu-jin... who can resist such a gentle yandere that loves you so whole-heartedly?

that reminds me! he’s actually based off of kuroyuki and gekkamaru from the otome nightshade, so if you want similar characters by any chance, do check them and the game out ♡

darling: I was watching the dub for Part 5 of JoJo's Bizarre adventure yesterday...Mista called himself Daddy and I like- sdfghjfgsdhnhnmj!! My heart can't take this--

vanya: WAIT HE DID???? i’m not even big on daddy kink and reading that made me go 😳 this is vital information to know... what episode was this??? for research purposes, of course. gotta perfect my yan! mista, after all~...

darling: for yandere songs, have you heard of the major to minor covers by chase holfelder :O? the way he delivers the lyrics in some songs (betty, all i want for christmas), added with the key changes to minor, is really fantastic, and gives a stalker-ish vibe imo! and he's a really good singer in general

vanya: i have!! a good chunk of them are actually on my personal yandere playlist, so i end up hearing them frequently when i’m writing!! i haven’t been keeping up with his uploads recently, so ‘betty’ is completely new to me and just, wow???????????? this man is an absolute god send for us “romantic” horror fans... ♡

this ask gave me such a lovely idea, though, darling: assigning yandere types/mbti based off each of chase’s minor key covers. i think i’ll do that just for you. ♡

darling @blossomiich: I reread some of your old character interaction asks and saw the one with Jotaro hugging his Darling after a panic attack and the elephant seal plush reminded me of the iconic C H O N K Y ringed seal plushie that was kinda trending and I can totally imagine Jotaro having one of those >w< that's so adorable!

vanya: i honestly don’t remember that interaction, but then again i don’t remember most things hmghng so i looked it up and

j...just imagine star plat hogging it and not letting joot cuddle with it 🥺 the duality of man...thank you for this cute image...

darling: Umm, sorry for asking this. I'm just curious because of your bio language in your header. Are you Chinese too, perhaps?

vanya: no worries!! i’m mixed guyanese (indian, chinese, & possibly black and/or portuguese), but my family only celebrates (or rather, acknowledges?) our indian descent, since the majority of our family is predominantly east indian.

my header is actually a quote from a danmei novel (and one of my all-time favorite fandoms), tiān guān cì fú (heaven’s official blessing)!

darling genki stan anon: Omg you're writing for free now, i didn't expect that one lol. It's a cute show innit? Not a nagi stan but I feel like nagisa has that kinda unsnapped personality that would make him peak delusional yandere material lolol like oikawa but less threatening and without his head being up his own ass 😂. Hope you're doing well!! -gsa

Gdjsjs im such a fool, i think my last ask said something about not thinking you'd write for free when i literally just pointed out kisumi on your sideblog LMAO my bad 😅 😂 also ill hold back on the gen chan requests because ive already asked so many in the past! Thank you though 🥺. Also feel free not to post this, it can just dip into my onesided chats with my lil flower 💐 so long as you receive them im fine 😌 -genki stan anon

vanya: nagisa isn’t my favorite (kisumi is), but gods if he wouldn’t make a great yandere. honestly, out of the iwatobi boys, nagi is probably the most unhinged. i wouldn’t peg him as delusional, at least not at first; i think he’s very lucid and knows exactly what he wants and how to manipulate people in order to get it!!! kisumi is fairly similar now that i think about it... i might... have a type...

please feel free to send in gen-chan requests whenever you want!!!! i’m kinda super asocial, so it’ll take me a while to answer, but i love getting asks from you since you’re so sweet and excitable!!! your little flower reads and cherishes them all!! 🥺

also darling genki stan anon: Sorry for spamming you with asks hdjkdks, u dont even need to reply im just kinda brain empty venting here whether you recieve them or not 😂 i just needed to confess that while yes i am #1 gen simp, and he is undoubtedly my fave oc of yours but that Ilya tentacle smut had me very much so highkey kinda 👀, had to re read the genki oral style drabble to bring my head back. He dont even need to worry about luca bc that man a thot. I think therin is a thot too but like lowkey, a classy thót -gsa

vanya: omg i’ve kept this one for forever mnmghngh i might’ve even answered at some other point, now that i think about it... but i just 🥺 gosh i hope i find my muse soon, because i really wanna write you a genki fic 🥺 hhhh

the ilya tentacle smut was so in character for that boy... i have no clue how to write monsters, much less tentacles, but i’d honestly do anything for him 🙏 kinky russian boy...

therin is definitely a classy thot, the kind that only bangs the finest concubines then turns around and slut shames you for banging the very same prostitutes gbfmngnfg rules don’t apply to him, in his kingdom...wish that were me tbh ✊😔

sweet asks.

darling one: i've read almost all of your dazai and chuuya fics and i love them so much!! your formatting is also super aesthetic just a question, i saw on your kofi that you also draw so i was wondering if you drew all the header arts?? bc they're all super pretty :) have a great day!

darling two: Just wanted to say love the writing and the way your format your posts is so aesthetically pleasing. One day I hope my posts looks half as good as yours because I legit can't get over how pretty and organized it looks.

vanya: omg thank you so much!!!! one of my bffs, yue, is to thank for the formatting and aesthetic choices, really! if you wanna see more of her aesthetic formats and posts, she actually runs a few blogs! you may know her as @milkscafe, formally @milkaaton! i adore her and her aes choices so much 🥺

as for the headers, i don’t draw 99.98% of them! i have drawn a couple, but they’re so few and far in between since i almost never finish my art wips haha... my older posts are lacking proper credits because i’m an absolute idiot, but i’m slowly working my way backwards to credit them all where possible! they’re all indeed super pretty!!!

have a great day yourself, my love!!

darling: THEY’RE NOT BAD CONTENT, I LOVE THEM ALL

vanya: this was in response to a now-deleted lil blurb but i kept it in my inbox because i wanted to say i love u very much and seeing this ask each time i open my inbox makes my heart skip a beat ♡

darling: Listen I love your writing, you inspired me to start it myself! I've always loved to write, and read of course but your style and concepts just stick with me. If you where to write something besides Yandere content/fandom content and started your own series? I would read the shit, out of it. I'm always nervous to interact with my favorite writers because you know, I'm afraid of the impression I'd leave but I just wanted to say this anyway! 💞💞💞🔫😳

vanya: wowowow fgfnmgnfmngfg that’s such a high compliment my brain just gmfnbgmnf go boom fogjfngnfg and thank you for the interaction, us writers truly appreciate it no matter how awkward or nervous you think you may be / come off!!!

darling one: As a writer, your post struck a nerve with me. I don’t send feedback to writers I like nearly as much as I should (and certainly not as much as I’d like in return as a writer). So, as such, I’m going to start doing that when I can, starting with you.

You are an incredible writer. You were one of the first yandere writing blogs I found and you’re still one I check in on regularly to see what you have been working on. You can portray a sense of suspense and intrigue in a natural way that many other writers - published ones included - struggle with. You delve into the darkness without it feeling forced, and you have an amazing grasp on the psyches of the characters you write for (which is a quality I adore in writing and strive toward myself).

I’m not great at ending these things so I guess.. you keep doing you? Because the you is great and I appreciate it.

darling two: hey. i'm here to tell you that from the bottom of my heart i love you and your writings. i really admire your writing skills. you inspire me. one of your posts once saved me from a nervous breakdown. thank you for everything you do. you're a wonderful person. good luck!

darling three: I wanted to tell you that thank you for writing such wonderful beautiful writings and that you take time to edit and write I hope you are taking care of yourself 💖❤

darling four: Thanks. I was having a hard time and deleted all my apps, but as soon as i opened my phone my first instinct was to look at your blog and i got my motivation back. Thanks (:

darling five: Hi ! I just wanted to say I really enjoy the stories you write and how they are detailed so well ! Stay safe and I hope you have a good day/night ! ლ(╹◡╹ლ)

vanya: ahhhh, these are very old asks mostly dating back to my “tumblr writing community is dying” post, and i’ve kept them this entire time because i’m just so starstruck. i have no clue how to reply to compliments, so i’m not sure what else to say besides that these asks made me very happy and got me through a few insecure moments!!! i’ve actually been feeling a little down about my writing recently, mostly because of lack of motivation / inspiration, so revisiting these really warmed my heart, so thank you truly ♡ i’m certainly keeping the originals in my inbox until the end of time!!

darling @monstrously-obsessed: psst, this local cryptic mom thing send all of their love for you 💕

vanya: your local herbo says she loves you very much momster 🥺 mwah

also, to the anon worried about my safety:

thank you so much for pointing that out!!! it hadn’t even crossed my mind when i made those ocs, so i appreciate your concern! i was contemplating revamping those two as is, so this is a great place to start! thank you again!!

#asks collection #not a fic #vanya rambles #[ vanya LITERALLY rambles ]#[ life's hard when you're this asocial i swear fgmnfgnmfg ]#[ now to answer concept asks ]

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itsworn · 7 years

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Bakersfield’s Youthful Banger Gang Is Disturbing The Peace In Style

Youth.

Anyone who’s attended Famoso Raceway’s March Meet or the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion during the last decade has seen them. You can’t miss the whippersnappers prominently positioned near the finish line. Are they the real deal or merely posers playing the role of traditional, blue-collar, junkyard-scrounging hot rodders twice each year? Are their primered, primitive Model A and Model T Fords just noisy props? Contrasting with hundreds of highly powered, flawlessly finished cars displayed just behind the bleachers, are these weather-beaten beaters the in-progress projects they appear to be, or are the mismatched panels cleverly arranged to create that impression? The cars are suspiciously positioned along the pitside fence at the crack of dawn, before spectators arrive. Hmmmm, do these local kids actually drive stock four-bangers on the “Streets of Bakersfield” immortalized in the Buck Owens song, or does a buddy working a secret back gate sneak their trailered relics through the pits before an unsuspecting public shows up to witness the deception? HOT ROD Deluxe determined to learn the truth. We even followed two of the youngsters home, just to be sure.

You know it’s a young gang when the de facto boss is all of 33. The gang’s vehicles of choice were manufactured in the late 1920s or first two model years of the 1930s. Their preferred powerplants are nothing like the big, powerful V8s flexing muscle in the car-show area. No, these miniature motors are just like the underpowered four-bangers that those other hot rodders jerked out of their Models T and A and junked.

“A ’32 is way out of touch, pricewise,” explained Tyler Weeks, leader of the pack, at the 2017 March Meet. “From the ’32s on, the cars get expensive. Deuces are iconic, they make beautiful hot rods, and not many were made. That was the depths of the Depression, you know. A lot more Model Ts and Model As had already been built, and there are lots more parts around today. Our cars were all put together with swap-meet stuff. In fact, most of it came from right here in town, either at Famoso’s nostalgia races or horse trading with older guys in the Model A Club. Building a banger is far easier than a flathead, for a fraction of the cost. They’re just so simple: air and fuel in; spark, ignition; exhaust out. With a V8, you’ve got twice as many cylinders, two heads instead of one, more parts to buy, to break, to wear out. A stock Model A engine will run for a long time, as long as you don’t modify it radically, or try to turn it much over 2,500 rpm. Some guys will spend the money to make one breathe and spin higher, but these aren’t race engines.”

Tyler had some history with small, cheap, four-cylinder powerplants even before spotting the $3,500/OBO classified ad for the blue ’30 coupe that changed his life at 22. “Volkswagens were a good start for me,” he said. “I had one in high school, when those cars were still affordable. It was lowered, had dual Webers, a merged header, Centerline wheels. I had no experience with old Fords. My coupe came with a Model A motor, laying sideways in the framerails, that I wrongly assumed was no good. I even bought a 2.3L Pinto engine to replace it. That’s a pretty common conversion, one I thought I could handle. The previous restoration project stopped in 1966. The car had been sitting, all apart, for 41 years. A member of the local Model A Club introduced me to Rick Davis, the owner of Vintage Restorations, who talked me out of the Pinto. Rick invited me to bring the engine to his house. We pulled the head and he said, ‘This thing’ll run!’ That same engine is still in the coupe.”

We were pleasantly surprised to hear that HOT ROD Deluxe was among his earliest influences. “When I was 14 or 15, I saw the first two issues and got interested in these cars. My high school library had the Hot Rod Yearbooks, all bound inside hard covers. In 2001 or ’02, I showed the librarian that most of them hadn’t been checked out since the ’70s. I asked if any were for sale. I got them all for next to nothing. They taught me about bodywork, fiberglass, paint, everything. Tex Smith’s books and Pat Ganahl’s history books are awesome. Club members have passed down some great old books, too.”

Backed up along Famoso Raceway’s spectator fence, it’s the four-cylinder cars and trucks that seem to attract the most attention from both extremes of the crowd’s age span. Really old guys will stop and stare and smile, reminded of something from their own automotive experience. Whenever a young guy or gal works up the nerve to approach the banger gang, questions are answered fully and respectfully. If the kid seems serious, he or she might be invited to try out a driver’s seat, work the shifter, listen to the little engine pop and bang. Just like them, the owners themselves were in their teens or early twenties when they got hooked. We wondered aloud about the appeal of almost-100-year-old jalopies to a youngster who’s never ridden in a vehicle not equipped with at least one smartphone and cupholder.

“Maybe it’s Great Depression–era thinking,” Tyler speculated, “wanting to learn, not having to rely on somebody else to come do it. You can figure something out, mechanically reverse-engineer the problem. Do it for yourself! I was able to take shop classes—auto shop, welding, construction, ag—that a lot of schools don’t have now, unfortunately. But young people have all kinds of different ways to start, without necessarily spending much money. Kids might start out with BMX bikes or radio-controlled cars, learning the mechanical aspects of something. They see our stuff and say, ‘I want to build a hot rod like that! How’d you do it?’

“I tell them the same thing that I say to older people who want to get a hot-rod project going: Get something that’s complete and running and make it your own. It doesn’t matter what, as long and it runs and drives decent. That’s better than trying to piece something together, especially when you don’t have the space or tools. Otherwise, it might end up sitting, like a lot of my stuff. I had a ’40 Ford pickup that was too far gone, beyond my space requirements. I would’ve had to take it completely apart and it would’ve been all over my driveway, because I don’t have room in my garage. I had to sell it.”

Tyler also suggested getting help “from people who are looking out for your best interests. Older guys like to be asked. The [Model A] club did that for me. I don’t know why. Maybe they saw how much I wanted to learn, how much a young person appreciated all that they’d learned. Our oldest member is 95, a World War II veteran. He drives his Model A to the meetings. These guys want to pass along their knowledge, and their parts. If they see you working on something and they have a piece you need to accomplish your goal, they’ll usually work with you on price. I once got a good Model A motor for two bucks and a beer! I was hanging around Rick Davis’ restoration shop one night. He had an industrial T engine, covered with all kinds of junk, that I wanted for its standard bore. The block could’ve been cracked, for all Rick or I knew. I said, ‘C’mon, sell me that engine,’ and he said, ‘Well, get me a beer from across the street—and two bucks.’ I thought it was a joke, but I walked to the market, anyway. I brought back a tall can, pulled two dollar bills out of my wallet, and he sold me that engine.”

“Almost everything that my friends and I own was cheap, or free,” Tyler added. “A hot rodder will always find a way. I tell younger people that if you want to do something badly enough, and you’re willing to work hard enough, you’ll get to where you want to be.”

The gang’s latest banger is the remarkably original ’31 slant-window sedan that David Abla, 27, imported from the family of a late Michigan man who’d owned it since the 1950s. David replaced the blown head gasket and hit the road, ever so slowly; top speed is 55 mph. His only other repair was getting the original heater working.

Tyler Weeks, 33, is the old man of the banger gang and its go-to guy for early Ford parts and guidance. He’s also the youngest member, by a quarter-century, of the Ford Model A Club of America’s oldest chapter. Ali Dyess, a valued member at large, writes newsletter and magazine articles, keeps the club’s books, and handles hospitality. Her laptop and spreadsheets have modernized the group’s record keeping, replacing cardboard boxes full of handwritten ledgers dating back to the Bakersfield chapter’s 1957 formation. (Yes, she kept all of those files, stored lovingly at home.)

Along the top-end fence at Famoso, the old Fords that attract the most attention are the simplest and least-powerful in the lineup. None of the owners is striving for period perfection or car-show points, obviously. Affordability and practicality prevail. All of the owners proudly pointed out parts that restorers and other rodders discarded as unusable. These are working-class hot rodders on young people’s budgets whose main mission is keeping early iron on the road, by day and night. Alternators are among the few concessions to newer technology. Scrounging for usable six-volt starters helped inspire these 12-volt conversions.

The ’30 coupe was Tyler’s first hot rod. It was taken apart in 1966 and remained in pieces until he started putting the puzzle back together in 2007 with guidance from older Model A Club members and especially a local restorer, Rick Davis.

Of the many early Fords that Weeks acquired during a decade of haggling and horse trading, these two were the only two rolling under their own power when we visited Bakersfield. Passersby overheard dissing the crude roadster pickup do not offend an owner who repurposed restorers’ cast-off junk into what he calls the P.O.S. Special. He bought the cab section, originally a ’29 roadster, and bed just to get an included ’32 grille shell that nearly matched the patina’d blue of the coupe, and now adorns that car (background). The chassis previously supported Debbie Launer’s street rod. “With a few exceptions, it’s the accumulation of pieces discarded by members of the Model A Club,” Tyler said. “These are all parts that were either on their way to the scrapyard, about to be melted down or cut up, or used to make patch panels that match the thickness of original steel.”

Blown-fuel racing at Famoso remains a 1,320-foot affair, and this prime parking area beyond the last grandstand affords the best, closest look at top-end action. Sisters Ali (left) and Sara Dyess enjoyed the last March Meet from Tyler’s P.O.S. Special.

It doesn’t get any more real than this pair, pictured on the day in 2013 when Tyler Weeks brought home his roadster pickup. The shortened bed is now attached to buddy David Abla’s T roadster. Vintage Restorations’ delivery truck is an original ’30 AA roadster pickup that shop owner Rick Davis (driving) purchased from a California artichoke farm. (Photo: Tyler Weeks)

Twice as many cylinders power the traditional roadster pickups of John Wright (seated) and David Abla (who also owns the stock ’31 sedan). Starting with just the black ’26 T shell, Wright, 28, and buddy Bob Gleim gradually located a Model A frame, ’26 bedsides, 300-inch Buick, and Turbo 350. John, a truck driver, says that the combination cruises Highway 99 happily at 75 mph.

The gray-primered ’27 roadster pickup on ’31 rails is David Abla’s interpretation of the hot rod that a young guy like him might’ve built from scratch in 1956, right down to its ’56-coded 265 Chevy block, ’39 Ford gearbox, and ’39 Columbia two-speed rearend. In overdrive (2.92:1, vs. 3.78:1), the car reportedly cruises at 110-plus. All he had five years ago were a rusty cowl and two doors. “Ninety percent of the rest came from swap meets at the drag strip,” said David, a 27-year-old crane operator.

When the garage door is down, there’s no hint from the street that the neat, suburban property shared by Tyler Weeks and Ali Dyess contains what Tyler calls “my personal junkyard of pre-1940 Fords.” At left is the Deuce grille shell that prompted his purchase of the roadster pickup at right.

That’s a Model A chassis under the ’22-’25 roadster that Weeks is building for F.A.S.T. time trials in Santa Margarita, California.

Tyler identified it as a “late-’31 Model A Deluxe doodle bug out of Rosamond, California.”

Weeks is one millennial with yard art almost a century old. Tucked out of sight are a ’26-’27 roadster and ’22 touring.

A lifetime’s worth of future projects are as close as the carport behind the house. The roadster is a bone-stock ’26, complete down to its original wooden wheels.

What stories a retired dirt-track coupe could tell! Behind the four-inch-chopped Model A are two Model A pickup beds overflowing with T and A body panels.

No pool party is complete without decorations. A hot rodder never knows when he’ll need a flathead six out of a ’37 Chrysler, right?

The post Bakersfield’s Youthful Banger Gang Is Disturbing The Peace In Style appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/bakersfields-youthful-banger-gang-disturbing-peace-style/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

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rebeccahpedersen · 7 years

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Hard Lofts: Brick-And-Beam vs. Art Deco Style

TorontoRealtyBlog

Call this a poll within a blog, since I’m starting to wonder which hard loft style is more desirable among the buyer pool.

I’ve always assumed that the “brick-and-beam” style of hard loft is, by far, the most sought after in the city, but the “art deco” style has seen some huge valuations as of late.

Let me distinguish between the two, provide some photos, and ask for your opinion – whether you’re an active buyer, or simply playing along…

Every conversation, with every first-time condo buyer, goes the same way.

At some point, whether it’s in the very first paragraph of the email, or whether it’s a the end – sort of a “wishful thinking PS,” the buyer mentions a loft.

I get it.

We all watched Friends.

Monica & Rachel had this unbelievable New York City loft, with exposed red brick in the kitchen, wooden beams in the hall, 12-foot ceilings, and that massive industrial warehouse-style window where they spied on “Ugly Naked Guy.”

Fast-fast forward 15-years for those of us who were coming of age when Friends first hit airwaves, or even consider those younger than us who watched on DVD box-set, and everybody starts their mental condo search by picturing a loft.

If you go online and Google “Monica & Rachel…” it will auto-complete “apartment” for you, as well as “floor plan,” which is really cool.

The apartment looked to be about 1,500 square feet, and the answer to the obvious question, “How in the world could they afford that?” was the back-story that it was rent-controlled because it was in Monica’s grandmother’s name.

I know, you’ve heard this story before, quite possibly on this blog!

But it bears mentioning because it helped set the stage, along with a host of other variables, for some very unrealistic condo searches.

I love lofts. I love visiting them, and I love selling them. I get genuinely jealous when my clients buy them.

Lofts are, and always have been, red-hot.

Look no further than an astronomically-priced $2.75 Million unit at the iconic Candy Factory last week, which, already priced at almost $1,200 per square foot, ended up selling for almost $700,000 over the list price.

It was truly, by the very definition, “one-of-a-kind” in Toronto, and I’m willing to be some of the city’s elite were lined up to buy it. In fact, I’d bet whoever came 2nd and 3rd in that bidding war, is probably already regretting not going higher.

That was a hard loft, as opposed to soft; the latter of which are essentially fake – created from scratch to look like hard lofts.

Hard lofts are conversions from existing buildings, notably warehouses, office buildings, or other commercial/industrial structures that served a different purpose in their former lives.

Let’s leave soft lofts for another day.

Today, my question is very simple: when it comes to true hard lofts, do you prefer the “brick-and-beam” style, with exposed brick walls, timber ceilings, and wooden beams, or the “art deco” style with a fluted concrete columns, epoxied concrete floors, and a cleaner, more modern look?

Tough call. And might I say, to each their own.

I have a few clients in the Imperial Lofts on Sherbourne Street, and one of them recently noted the price discrepancy between the art-deco style building at 80 Sherbourne and the brick-and-beam style building at 90 Sherbourne.

A unit at the art-deco style 80 Sherbourne recently sold for a whopping $875/sqft.

A unit, just listed, at the brick-and-beam style 90 Sherbourne, is asking around $800/sqft. And what’s more, is the last sale in the building was for a mere $705/sqft.

Even comparing apples to apples, some are green, and some are red. The recent sale at 90 Sherbourne versus the current listing at 90 Sherbourne could represent other variables, explaining the price.

But the art-deco style building seems to be commanding a premium these days, and it motivated me to ask my readers which style they like better.

Let me give you a few examples of the two styles, drawing on some of the more well-known of each.

ART DECO STYLE LOFTS

Here are a couple of photos from a unit at Imperial Lofts:

Note in this unit, they’ve used fake brick, which I find is a huge style clash:

This is another unit at 90 Sherbourne Street, same characteristics, but a completely different feel as they’ve used a lighter colour palette:

Here’s another example, which shows how open concept these places can be. Yes, brick-and-beam lofts can be open concept too – even moreso, when you have no bedroom wall. But the art-deco style often offers a bit “cleaner” look and feel:

And here we see another common feature – the steps, which are prevalent in all three buildings I’m showing today:

This is a unit at the iconic Tip Top Lofts, which shows how those fluted or “mushroom” columns can work both for and against you, depending on the position:

Updating, staging, and photography can make a big difference. That last photo left much to be desired.

Here’s a really nice example of the 2-storey industrial art-deco style:

Here’s a unit at the Merchandise Lofts, which are very industrial in feel, and the common critique is that the spaces are long and narrow, and natural light is often a problem:

Notice the unit below feels a little “warmer” with the inclusion of hardwood flooring:

Last but not least, the Brewery Lofts on Sumach Street, which are known for the massive 14-16 foot ceilings, and fluted columns:

There is often so much empty wall space in these units, that owners will get creative – like this person below, who re-purposed some old doors to give the unit some character:

BRICK-AND-BEAM LOFTS

Here are a few units at the Broadview Lofts, which you would probably include on any “Top Five” list of Toronto hard lofts:

These check all the boxes for the hard-loft, brick-and-beam enthusiast.

Note the steel door in the photo below. Brick, beams, columns, picture windows, and add a steel door just for good measure:

They’ve also done a good job of keeping the “authenticity” when it comes to the staircases, which are metal, as opposed to a more modern glass railing, or something like a wooden-spindle which would completely bastardize the look and feel of a hard loft.

Here’s a similar look and feel at the Robert Watson Lofts in Roncesvalles:

As I noted with the fluted columns in the art-deco style lofts, the timber columns in some of these hard lofts can be awkwardly placed, or, they could be incorporated into the layout:

We’re seeing a lot more photos like this one on MLS, which show the character and hard-loft features, rather than the actual space itself:

Last but not least, the crown-jewel of Liberty Village, the Toy Factory Lofts:

Maybe by this point it’s, “Seen one, seen ’em all,” but keep in mind that I’m picking the best brick-and-beam hard lofts in the city, and choosing the best photos from the archives. Plus, you’ve got great stagers (or owners with really good style, who know where the outdoor flea markets are…) who incorporate things like the water bag and wagon wheel in the photo below:

I honestly don’t get tired of these photos that show the character. It’s better than a fifth photo of the kitchen…

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So there you have it, folks.

A pretty good representation of “art deco” style versus “brick and beam.”

What’s your fancy?

And why, if you don’t mind my asking…

The post Hard Lofts: Brick-And-Beam vs. Art Deco Style appeared first on Toronto Real Estate Property Sales & Investments | Toronto Realty Blog by David Fleming.

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